Raising a bottle of ale to celebrate Beer Day Britain

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Britain’s national drink, ale, is set to be celebrated for the first time ever in an event aimed at raising awareness of the UK’s great brewing heritage.
Beer Day Britain takes place today (Monday June 15) with Brits being encouraged to raise a toast and ‘hail the ale’ wherever they may be.
To support the event Tesco will launch across its UK stores three new ales, all featuring the Beer Day Britain logo.
Each of the new Tesco ales has been created to show off the diversity of taste to be found in British beer.
They are:
India Pale Ale or IPA – perhaps Britain’s most famous ale variety is this light beer that was originally brewed to be exported to India in the late 18th century
Ruby ale – A light, subtle beer but with richer malt overtones
Golden ale – Britain’s fastest growing beer variety. A light and refreshing beer that is often described as a transitional brew for lager drinkers to cross over to ale
Tesco beer product developer Danielle Jack who worked with Marston’s brewery on the three ales said: “Britain has a glorious brewing heritage and has inspired many different beer styles that are now popular around the world.
“Beer Day Britain is a wonderful opportunity for people to explore the wide range of great tasting beers the UK has to offer.
“These three beers have not been designed to bamboozle drinkers with complicated taste profiles or hop names but have been brewed in the traditional manner using water, malted barley and hops to keep the taste pure, simple and easily identifiable as classic British ales.”
Beer Day Britain has been created by passionate beer lover and author Jane Peyton who was Britain’s first Beer Sommelier of the Year (2014/15).
It coincides with the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, one of the most significant legal documents in history – and one that mentions ale.
In a forerunner to the Weights and Measures Act clause 35 of the Magna Carta stated ‘Let there be throughout our kingdom a single measure for wine and a single measure for ale and a single measure for corn, namely “the London quarter”.’
Beer lovers might argue that beer is Britain’s greatest export because in the 18th century British ships spread the desire for beer to all corners of the world.
More styles of beer invented in Britain are now brewed regularly around the world than those of any other brewing nation. These include Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, Mild, Brown Ale, Stout, Porter, Imperial Russian Stout, and Barley Wine.
The event is being supported by various beer organisations including: All Party Parliamentary Beer Group; CAMRA; Britain’s Beer Alliance; British Beer and Pub Association; British Hop Association.
Tesco’s new own-label beers are as follows:
Tesco Golden Ale 500ml £1.29
Tesco India Pale Ale 500ml £1.29
Tesco Ruby Ale 500ml £1.29